Stool



Feb. 6, 1945- o. c. BLOMGREN STOOL Filed June 2.0, 1942 2 Sheets-Shet 1 i jdezgfar: @56W Feb- 6, 1945. o. c. BLOMGREN 3681740 STOOL Filed June `20, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE l STOOL n Oscar C. Bloingren, Winnetka, Ill.i 1 'Application June 20, 1942, Serial No. 441,752

s claims. (erin-m i i The invention relates to an article of furniture and has particular reference to a stool of general utility that can be constructed entirely of wood or entirely of metal or a combination of both and one that can be easily assembled and disassembled.

An object of the invention is to provide a stool having a plurality of legs angularly arranged with respect to each other and which can be easily assembled, requiring the minimum of parts in its construction and which will maintain itself in assembled relation without the use of glue or like fastening means.

A further object of the invention is to provide av three legged stool of general utility, having novel fastening means for the legs and which will maintain all the parts in assembled relation while at the same time making it possible toreadily remove the legs from the fastening meansl and disassemble the stool in its entirety. y

Another object is to provide an article of furniture having a plurality of'legs angularly arranged with respect to each other and releasably held in assembled position by wedge members which when in operative associated relation form a unit of attractive appearance so as not to detract from the decorative appearance of the article as a piece of furniture.v

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of furniture having a plurality of angularly arranged legs and spacedrwedge members for retaining the article yin assembled relation, the wedge members being vlocated at the point where the legs have the minimum spreadand where said legs cross with respect to each other.

A further object is to provide an article of furniture of simple construction thatv can be economicallymanufa-ctured and which will comprise a minimum number of parts.

With these and other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto. v

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and wherein like reference characters are usedto designate like parts- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodi-A ment of the invention in the form of a three legged stool constructed inv accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the various parts of the stool in disassembled relation; t

Figure 3 is a bottom plan'view of the seat il showing the three openings therein through which the legs extend and illustrating the manner of locating and orienting said openings; I

Figure 6 is a side elevational View shwing the'v two wedge tion; n Y* n y I Figure 7 is a vertical sectional View taken on a members iny proper contacting reladiameter` such as 1 l,'1igure 5, and showing the two wedgemembers in spaced relation with resilient means located therebetween;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view similar'to Figure 7 but showing another form of resilient means such as a rubber ball forapplying tension to the members to maintain them in spaced apart relation; and Y V y Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view similarto Figure 7 and showing in addition thereto a re-'.

taining bolt extending through the center of the wedge members for h olding them" inassembled relation as a unit.v`

In the drawings, particularly Figures 1, and 2, the invention is shown as embodied in a threelegged stool of genera1 utility including a seat IU of circular form and having a thickness sufficient for ther purposes of the'present invention but which is in keeping with the size of the stool so as to constitutea decorative as well as a practical element 'of the combination. The three legs Il, l2 and I 3 areangularly arranged with respect to each other and said legs lalso `have a verydelinite` angular relation' with the vertical. This angular relation of the legs also-determines that of the openings in the un'dersurface of the' seat, as will` be more particularly described, the said openings" receiving the ends of the legs to thereby join these elements to the'seat. The wedge members I4 and I5 comprise the sole retaining means for the present article of manufactureL since the members function tohold the three legs and the seatv in 'assembledA relation.' A feature of the present invention 'resides in the provision @f the wedge members andthe manner of'holding :them inv spaced Arelation `so as: to apply tension tothe legs, thus securely'holdingall the parts in their proper position while at the same time permitting disassembly' of said parts by forcing the wedge members toward'each other .to relieve the'tension .on

` through the seat on l the expresspurposel of the legs u applied thereby. The wedge blocks are located at an intermediate point on the legs where the legs cross and in yboth an upward and down- 3ward direction it will be observed that the legs diverge with respect to each other. rWhen the upper block I4 is forcedy upwardly and the lower block I5 is forced downwardly against the di- `verging legs a gripping action results with sufcient tension being applied to the parts to hold them in assembled relation and whichv tension iny creases inr proportionl to the force maintaining the blocks vin separated relation. In Figure 2 the elements of the present stool are shown disassemf bled and'it will be observed' that in addition to the foregoing elements a coil spring I5 is used as the resilient means, having location between the. wedge members for maintaining the same in spaced operative position.

The seat I0 comprises a circular pieceoi wood or metal or any other material suitable for'astoo'l such asdescribed.. the, same: having the desired Three openings I:T,. I8 and I9fare. bored in. the undersurface of the seat at the desired. angle andto the. proper depth. for

l receiving one end. of. the. legs. IIj, spectively.. I-nthe particular sizel and. proper thickness..

v l2 and. It,` reembodiment of.- stooll disclosed in the drawings each opening. is bored.

. atan angle-of. twenty-eight degrees with respect tothe Vertical. This is better illustratedA in Fig-l ure 4,.which is. a vertical? sectional. View taken illustratingv the angular position of a. leg. whichh forms the. angle X with respect to the vertical, twenty-eightl degrees as shown in. said gure. Also each of the legs. I,`.I`,`ff2`.v and I3 has a very definite angular relation in. Figure 3. lint this figure the three "openings in theunderside of. the seat are shown in. full lines andthe legsI are illustrated in. dot and. dash line which. has been. selected for clearness, since. it will be observed that the projection of eachleg, on they seat partly overlies the opening vfor one of. theV other legs. Y v

To determine the location of Vopenings I1, I8 and Illy the circular seat IIJy is divided into three equal parts by the radial lines A, B, C`,.which form with each other an angle .of one hundred. and twenty degrees, as will be clearly understood. An equilateral triangle-including.. the sides D, E, F,

is then laid out so thatl the--apices of the triangle fall. on the radial lines previously referred to. The apices oi the triangle thus locate the. center of the open-ings which are one hundred and twenty degrees apart; Whereas, each leg forms an angle having a magnitude of with cach other which` is best illustrated. by referring to. the layout shown iso; the center liney of the leg for of twenty-eight degrees with: the vertical., thev f other angular positioning ofthe leg is only twenty-three-'and oneehalf degrees, as clearly evidence'd Figure 3. This is an angle which the center line of' each leef, namely, II', I2: and It,` l

formswitn its respective radial lines A, B- or C; More particularly the center line' L for-the leg II` isdisposed inwardly toward the center of the seat so as to form anangle of twenty-three and onehalf degrees with its radial lineA. In. a similar manner 'the center linel M. for leg l2v forms an angle'- oi twenty-three and one-half degrees with its radial line B. With respect to opening I9 the leg t3 has its centery line AN disposed atan angle of twenty-three and one-half 'degrees with its radial line C. With the bottom surface'of the seat l y I0 laid out as above indicated the center of each of the' openings H, I8- and lIl'is definitely located vand the direction in which thesevop'enings vare bored is also ascertained. While maintaining an angle with the vertical of 'twenty-eight degrees each opening is bored into the block` for the proper depth and in a manner to maintain an angle of twenty-three and one-halfv degrees with respect to its radial line. This angle is measured on the bottom surface of the seat and is the angle between the radial line and the axial center of the opening. When the legs are fitted into the openings andheld in` assembled relation by the wedge members said legs'have the angular position as illustrated in Figure 1.

The function of the Wedge members is to maintain the legs in assembled relation, provided the :seat I0 has been properly fitted to the upper end ,ofr said legs. `The circular blocks -I4 and l5 are each boredl with provided; for receiving the leg Il, opening 22 for three openings, opening 2I being receiving the leg I2, and opening 23 for receiving theleg I3'.

As a guide in determining the. location of these openings the-surface of eachv member` is laid out as illustrated in. Figure 5. An equilateral triangle ha'ving-l the sides R... S, T, is drawn on4 said surface and within the vsame. a smaller triangle. is .drawn V, W. The apices of the smallinf-` having sides U, terior triangle are located at. the mid-point of the respective sides of the4 larger triangle and these points each.I iormsV the center for an opening.

.Said opening. is bored through. .the` member at an angle. oi'twenty-eight degrees from the Vertical and ina direction so that. theaxial center of thel opening is parallel to one of the sides R, S', or T of the large equilateral triangle.' Theother wedge Emember I4 may be laid out. in. a similar manner and identical openings ybored therethrougliin the proper angular direction.` When the two members are associated as in Figure 6 the openingsv 2 I, 22 and 23. in the top member I4 should coin,- cide with their companion openings in the bottom member I5. formed by the two. members will. have three openings extending completely through. theI same of a diameter to. receive the legs, and which openings Y .will extend at the proper angle with respect Ato the-vertical for accommodating said legs.

As previously explained, the legs of the presf ent stool are held in assembled relation with the Seat by tension applied. by the wedge blocks I4 :and I5 .to said legs. Each wedge block is formed .l

with a central cavityor recess 25 in its contacting surface for receiving the coil spring IB. The. said spring acts to maintain the wedge blocks spaced and in so` doing applies suicient binding action 1 to the legs to maintain them in assembled relation, it being understood that they legs are addtionally held asa resultr oi their insertion in openings provided therefor in the seat.V Figure, 'l illustratesthe location of `the resilient spring in the recesses 25 of the wedge. blocks. In Figure a modified construction is disclosed wherein the resilient. spring I5 is replaced by a rubber ball 2.6 or the like. In Figure 9 a bolt 21 has been inserted through both the wedge blocks centrally thereof and therefore passes through the center f of the resilient coil spring I6. The` blocks are held in assembled relation yby thenut 28 threaded to the lower projecting end of the bolt and asa result of this construction the wedge blocks at all .times constitute a unit which can be assembled with the legs` and disassembled therefrom with-Y out separating the blocks from each other. This precludes any possibility of losing the coil spring orl of the` same becomingy misplaced asa result of disassembly of the stool. 1

The nnairesuit is that uney una In assembling the elements of thepresent stool it is necessary to press the two wedge blocks together .compressing spring I6 so that the .inner surfaces of -the blocks are in contacting' relation such as shown in Figure 6. In this position of the blocks the three openings extending through each are in alignment and the legs will have some freedom, permitting movement to the extent where the legs 'can be inserted in the openings in the seat and it is immaterial which leg is inserted in which opening since all three'legs are identical in length and in diameter. .After the seat has been applied, the legs entering the openings I1, I8 and I9 in the undersurface of the seat, the pressure is released with respect to the wedge blocks and they are allowed to separate under the action imparted thereto by the coil spring I6 or other resilient member. lThis separation of the blocks has a binding action with respect to the legs, or, in other words, may be considered as applying tension thereto, holding the legs rigid and in proper assembled relation.

After the stool has been assembled as above described it can be lifted and moved from pla/ce to place without any of the elements becoming separated. In fact, the weight of a person sitting on the stool further aids in the application of tension to the legs through the wedge blocks and thus tends to more securelybind the elements together as a unit. Since the'legs are held together Without the use of glue, screws or like fastening means.- it is possible to readily disassemble the present stool since it is only necessary to compress the wedge blocks against the spring I 6, whereupon the legs can be withdrawn and the various parts can then be separated as shown in` Figure 2 to facilitate cleaning or for other purposes. The wedge blocks are located at the point where the legs have the minimum spread and where said legs cross with respect to each other. This is a necessary location for the blocks since the resilient spring which functions to maintain them separated forces one block upwardly against the spreading of the legs, Whereas, the lower block is forced downwardly alsoJ against the spread of the legs in this direction. Notwithstanding the functional action of said blocks they also have an attractive appearance which adds to the decorative appearance of the stool as an article of furniture. L;

The openings 2 I, 22 and 23 in the wedge blocks have an angular relation which coincides with that of the legs at the horizontal plane where said legs cross each other and said openings are spaced so as to properly space the legs at this point. Any movement of the blocks in opposite directions produces a binding of the blocks on the legs and the parts are thus interlocked with each other and with the seat. The resilient spring I6 or other resilient means functions to maintain the blocks separated with one being located above the said horizontal plane and the other below th horizontal plane. 1 The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings as various other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is: l. An article of furniture, in combination, a seat, a plurality of legs for supporting the seat, said seat having openings in its undersurface for receiving the legs to join the same to the seat,

horizontal plane vintermediate the length of ,the

legs in lwhich plane the legs cross each other, whereby movement of one member in an upward' direction and movement of the other member ina downward direction applies gripping. action `to the legs to interlock the members-therewith,

and means maintaining the members in separated relation. I 'y 2. An article of furniture, in combination, a seat, a plurality of legs for supporting the-seat, said seat having openings in its undersurface for receiving the legs to join the same to the seat and said legs being disposed atan angle to the vertical when the seat is supported horizontally, whereby said legs cross each other in the same horizontal plane intermediate the length of the legs, a plurality of members for maintaining the legs and seat in assembled relation, said members having openings through the same through which the legs extend, said members having a location above and below said horizontal plane respectively whereby movement of one member lin an upward direction and movement of the other member in a downward direction applies tension to the legs to interlock the members therewith, and resilient means located between the members for yieldingly forcing the same in opposite directions.

3. An article of furniture, in combination, a substantially horizontal member providing a sup- 10 porting surface, a plurality of legs for supportingv the member, said legs having releasable interfitting relation with the member and said legs being disposed at an angle with respect to each other whereby said legs cross on the same horizontal plane intermediate the length of the legs, an upper and a lower wedge block, said wedge blocks each having a plurality of openings through the same through which the legs extend, one of said wedge blocks having a location above said horizontal plane and the other wedge -block having a location below the horizontal plane, and resilient means located between the wedge blocks for maintaining them separated to thereby apply tension to the legs to hold the legs and seat in assembled relation.

4. An article of furniture, in combination, a substantially horizontal member providing a supporting surface, a plurality of angularly disposed legs for supporting the member, said legs having releasable interfltting relation with the member and being disposed at an angle with respect to each other whereby the legs cross on a horizontal plane intermediate the length of thelegs, means located above and ,below said horizontal plane respectively for maintaining the legs and member in assembled relation, each said means having openings therethrough corresponding to the legs and through which the legs extend, and a resilient member located between the means for yieldingly holding the same in separated position.

5. An article of furniture, in combination, a substantially horizontal member providing a supporting surface, a plurality of legs for supporting the member, said legs having releasable intertting relation with the member and said legs bel ing disposed at an angle with respect lto .each` other whereby said 'legs cross on the same'hori-g zontal plane intermediate the length ofthe legs;

said legs `flaring outwardly kin directions above and -below the horizontal plane, an upper and a lower c wedge block having location above and below the plane respectively, each wedge block having open assegno a ings through the same through `which the legs exv tend,v and which openings are angularly arranged vto coincide with the angular relation of the legs at the horizontal plane, whereby upward movement of the upper wedge block and downward movement of thev lower wedge block produces a gripping action onther legs as a result of the .out-

' ward flare of thelegs in the respective directions,

andl means maintaining said wedge blocks in separated relation.

6. .An article of furniture, in combination, .a substantially horizontalmember providing asupporting surface, a plurality of legs for supporting the member, said legs having releasable intert.-

ting relation with the member :and said legsbeing disposed at anangle with respect to .eachother plane respectively, earch wedge block' having openings through the same through which the legs extend, and which openings are angularly arranged to coincide with the angular relation ofv the legs at the horizontal plane, whereby upward movement ofthe upper wedge block and downward ymovement of the lower wedge block prov duces .a -grippingaction on the legs as a. result of` the outward flare of the legs in therespective-di-` rectionsfand means located between the wedge blocks for yieldingly forcing site directions. f

l OSCAR C. BLOMGR-EN.

the blocks in oppo-' 

